The Bloodied Claw
The Bloodied Claw were a major pirate organisation, lead by the charismatic and dangerous Jor Ruk. A erstwhile ally of the Covenant Remnant, the Bloodied Claw were one of the largest and most powerful pirate clans functioning independently of the pirate alliances. Through Prince Jor Ruk's leadership, business acumen, and sheer ruthlessness, they went from a disorganized rabble to a powerful syndicate that carved out their own empire. History Origins The true origins of the Bloodied Claw are a mystery. Fragmentary data recovered after the fall of High Charity suggests they were a privateer force then under the command of the Covenant. However, the sparse data is unreliable and few details are known. What is known, the UNSC first documented the name in '54. Raids by a number of pirate clans lead to the Office of Naval Intelligence building ties with the young Kig-Yar government to learn about these organisations. The commander of the Bloodied Claw, with a confirmed four raids under their belt, was an old Kig-Yar named Rak Kor, an unambitious but influential leader. During a routine raid, they came into conflict with another clan, who were also raiding the same colony and in the resulting exchange of fire, Rak Kor took a carbine slug to the head. Rendered comatose, his lieutenants immediately squabbled amongst themselves to gain control of the small clan, rallying their own followers. The youngest of his lieutenants, Jor Ruk, orchestrated his peers against one another, secretly pledging his support to each of them and feeding them intelligence from one another. When Rak Kor died of his wounds, his lieutenants entered open war, and when they'd worn their strength and killed each other, he killed the survivors and took clan for his own. Jor Ruk was ambitious driven and intelligent. He rebuilt the Bloodied Claw not as a rag tag squadron of pirates, but as a business. A business which would make him rich. Gaining Strength Jor Ruk immediately rebuilt the Bloodied Claw from top to bottom, reshaping it in his image. They numbered only a dozen ships, of various configurations, mostly Raider-class vessels, and numbered a few hundred pirates. He arranged them into crews and concentrated their efforts on lucrative business, such as piracy and slaving. Striking deals with local clan lords, he acted as an authorised privateer, snatching trespassing ships, selling their crew and cargo and giving a cut of the price to his business partners. Building on this, Jor Ruk earned a reputation as lethally efficient. Under his command, his crews became more efficient too, sharpened into lethal raiders. Stepping this up to commercial slave raiding, his crew were equally efficient at this. Picking out poorly defended colonies, or colonies he knew he could strike at, Jor Ruk built his fledgling business, selling on most of his seizures, in ships, materiels and slaves, but keeping so to himself, growing in size. In three years, his force doubled in size, becoming better equipped. Allegiance to the Remnant When the Remnant returned to known space, with enough warriors and ships to battle the allied races to a standstill, Jor Ruk saw an excellent business opportunity. Allying himself with the Remnant, he left an impression of the gullible Prophet of Absolution. Fighting for Absolution, the Bloodied Claw grew in strength, gifted with ships, men and weapons, Jor Ruk returned the favour by winning him battles and gifting him large bounties of slaves. Jor Ruk would manipulate this to his advantage, and the Bloodied Claw would swell in size and power. However, Absolution was only ever a temporary measure, and Jor Ruk knew it wouldn't last. Building an Army Knowing inevitably he would have to step up his operations from simple piracy and raiding to military operations, he knew he would need an army. Numbering close to 9,000 pirates, he knew the bulk of his forces were ill-equipped for open warfare, even with the new equipment and weapons Absolution gifted upon him. To this end, he took a disused tanker ship and re-engineered it as a habitat ship capable of sustaining tends of thousands of Unggoy in a Methane atmosphere. Breeding them, he intended to create an army of expendable foot soldiers to exert his will. Trained to be unwaveringly loyal to him alone, and willing to storm forward blindly. Poorly equipped, they would surge forward of his core of raiders, flushing out opponents while his marksmen, scouts and shield infantry picked them off at leisure. This tactic was tested and proven at Crowe's Landing Crowe's Landing Joining Absolution in what was to be his greatest victory over the hated enemy of the Covenant, the human race, Jor Ruk, now ascended to the rank of Prince, was much more interested in plunder than glory. Absolution asked Prince Jor Ruk to secure his flanks during the battle at Crowe's Landing, running defenders to ground and protecting Absolution's interests. Jor Ruk had little interest in such matters, but much preferred to use this as an opportunity to partake in a massive slave raid. Making landfall at Clover City, his raiders were initially brought into conflict with members of the Reth clan, determined to take his prize from him. Beating them back, he began to organize an encirclement of the city. For two days he laid siege, raining down artillery, launching wave infantry assaults, terrorising the streets with snipers and gradually wrestling air control from the UNSC. Repeating his tactic of wave infantry assault, followed by elite raiders carrying shields and sniper rifles, he would gain significant ground, pushing the UNSC off their high ground. Jor Ruk predicted he'd have the city secured in a day. The arrival of Spartans hampered this. Suddenly facing Spartans, for his first time ever, Jor Ruk was off balanced, and unsure of how to prosecute a foe that was infinitely more slippery than his own raiders. Taking increasing casualties, he elected to finish his encirclement rather than secure the city. This worked to his advantage, as while the Spartan forces punched a hole straight through his circle, taking a great many civilians and soldiers of the city, many more were trapped within. Utilising his new found aerial supremacy, he flew his Phantoms over the city unopposed, fitted with modified communications equipment that would constantly broadcast the same message over loud speaker. "Surrender and you will live.". Given the last two days of the apocalyptic siege and worn them down, most of the remaining soldiers and population took this opportunity to surrender. Dropping their arms and leaving their refuges, they approached the forces of the Bloodied Claw with their hands up in surrender. A few pockets of armed resistance continued, and would be put down later in the night, while some civilians refused to come out of their refuges, and were punished for their insolence. Gathering up all the prisoners, they were herded onto the transport ships they had prepared. Positioned at a secret rally point at the edge of the system, they would await the bulk of the prince's forces before leaving. Rather than pursuing the forces fleeing Clover, Jor shifted his focus to the small townships and hamlets scattered across the lowlands. Going from settlement to settlement, his raiders rounded up the inhabitants, killing anybody that dared to resist. Numerous villages were simple bombed into dust for daring to raise arms against them, and the news of their ruthlessness spread to the other villages, prompting their surrender. Finally content with his haul, he pulled his forces back to his rally point just as the UNSC arrived. Seeing Caesercus' increasingly difficult situation, and the loss of his ally Absolution, he elected to wait until the right moment to strike. When Caesercus finally attempted his breakout, Jor struck. Contacting him on a private channel, Jor offered him the the forces of his raiders, if he promised him half of the slaves he had captured today. Begrudgingly, Caesercus would agree, and the agile raiders of the Bloodied Claw would cut their way through the encirclement allowing Caesercus to escape. With his ships damaged, and his fighting strength drained, Caesercus was forced to enact the trade, exchanging them in a neutral port at first opportunity. Jor Ruk left Caesercus' service, his slave holds bulging with living cargo. Empire Builder Being the only commander to leave Crowe's Landing richer, Jor left the employ of the Remnant, preferring to strike out on his own. Travelling to neutral territories, selling off some of his slaves at every stop for construction materials, he made his way to a remote world. A dust bowl of a planet, it was rich in natural resources, but controlled by a small pirate clan. Nobody knows exactly why Jor Ruk picked out this one world, or its clan, but his sudden and inexplicable attack, marked by its ruthless savagery, suggested a past with this clan. Either way, every member of the clan was exterminated or enslaved practically overnight, and their slaves became Jor's slaves. Here Jor would establish the capital of a criminal empire that would expand at a meteoric rate. Building on the still warm ashes of the one settlement of the world, he built a surprisingly lavish city, capable of supporting his loyal raiders and their ever expanding slave force. expanding out across the coast line, it would connect to several of the small islands across the archipelago, and they would construct overland transport connections to their mines and quarries further out in the desert. His slaves would toil for him, expanding his city as well as constructing the orbital elevator, the space dock it connected to, and numerous stations in the system, such as a refuelling station orbiting the gas giant. Other, important structures would be built around his city, including a biosphere for his Unggoy army, and an immense arena for gladiators to battle each other in. Prince Jor Ruk knew a capital would only get him so far, and only through empire building would he increase in strength. They were no beyond just being purely raiders, they were now traders, exporters and manufacturers. Under his orders, his commanders spread out, conquering nearby star systems and bringing them to heel under his command. Four star systems fell to his fleet, and he consolidated quickly. His growing confidence promoted him to attack a large colony of Unggoy, with little preparation. This mistake would cost him, as he had unwittingly attacked the Empire of Koroku. Expecting a world of simpering weaklings, he instead found a world of violent, strong and courageous Unggoy, organised and well armed. His Unggoy infantry were decimated, and his own raiders taking horrendous casualties. Pulling back, he realised his mistake. The following border skirmishes between the two empires went poorly for the Bloodied Claw, who would easily beat their fleets, but could not defeat their armies on the ground. Jor Ruk would have to raise a new army. New Model Army The vast Unggoy armies he faced were better trained, and better armed than his own Unggoy forces, and out numbered his hardened raiders. Prince Jor Ruk recognised his armies were ill equipped to fight on such a scale, against standing armies. His wave of Unggoy infantry proved ineffectual against better trained and better equipped forces of a similar size, and his pirates, while skilled, were too few in number and physically weaker than some of their opponents. Instead, he turned to the vast number of human slaves he possessed. From both Crowe's Landing and the expansion of his empire, he'd come into possession of a vast amount of human slaves, and he saw in them his army. Witnessing the effectiveness of the Tan'rith Legion and Volendruni slave warriors first hand, he knew how effective they could be with proper training and the right incentives. Hiring Kig-Yar, Sangheili and Jiralhanae mercenaries, as well as bringing in some of his most experienced warriors, he ordered them to make him an army that was skilled and subservient. The mercenaries, who formed a group within the clan called the 'Kar D'toa' after a legendary Kig-Yar demon with one hundred heads, began their job in a newly constructed fortress at the edge of the capital, intended to house their new army. With permission from Jor Ruk, they would travel the length and breadth of his empire, looking through his slave stocks, picking the hardiest, strongest and most vicious, selecting his gladiators, as well as leaving open recruitment for any that wished to join. These slaves would be taken to the fortress to be trained. The training process was difficult and long, and those that were brought, or volunteered, were forced to suffer physically and mentally. Broken down mentally, they were reforged as loyal slave-soldiers, using the same techniques the Sangheili used on their client races in generations past. After several months of severe training, they were finally ready. Equipped with enough armour and weapons to make them effective, their first deployment was brutal. Returning to the contested world where he first encountered the Empire of Koroku, he conducted the battle like a military campaign, landing his forces, besieging the enemy and throttling the life from them. Despite heavy casualties, they took the world, earning Jor Ruk his first victory against Emperor Kor. War with Koroku Jor's victory of the Empire's forces would be short lived, as the opening of a full scale war with the Empire of Koroku looked like a reality. Emperor Kor decreed they wouldn't suffer these slavers, and diverted his military from their cold war against the Tzxyzyl Hives to face the Bloodied Claw. Over the next year they would routinely raid one another, and occasionally clash in full military battles when one or the other felt they had an advantage. Across three contested worlds, they continually fought, the worlds often changing hands, and any infrastructure and population they had was decimated over this time. Each continue to insult the other through envoys as well. After a particularly insulting offer of ceasefire was offered to Kor by one of the prince's envoys, he sent the envoy back with his teeth and spines pulled out, and the message that "an emperor does not bow to a prince". Jor would return the favour by sending Kor the severed head of one of his generals. The war took and increasing toll on both, however, and neither could maintain it for long. While the Empire could replace their casualties quickly, they could not replace their heavy equipment quickly enough. The Bloodied Claw had the opposite problem, that while they could replace their equipment quickly, they could not replace casualties as fast. Both were destined to destroy one another, as they both also risked depleting their vital stock of slaves. The high point of the war was the battle of Mare Viridi. A populous human colony, the Empire needed it to increase its labour force, while the Bloodied Claw needed to increase the size of its military. Both were also after the plentiful supply of food the breadbasket colony could produce, and the strategic position the colony held, between their two empires, allowing them to strike against one another from a new staging ground. both forces arrived on Mare Viridi within an hour of one another, and the desperate space battle translated into a ruthless ground war, as the forces of the Bloodied Claw attempted to take and hold the population centres against the Empire. Both sides would throw a huge number of forces at Mare Viridi, and after three weeks of near constant fighting, the Bloodied Claw held a tenuous advantage. In a delicate position, they held the the major population centre, though Kor would hold roughly half the population in smaller settlements. Neither side was in a position to fight one another, so they dug in. Ceasefire After nearly a month of each side staring at each other across a no man's land, it was at last Jor Ruk who approached Kor regarding a ceasefire. Agreeing to meet in neutral ground, with only two guards each, Jor Ruk used all his charm and wit to talk Kor, a stubborn leader, into a ceasefire. Such continuing conflict would destroy them both, especially since they now had the mutual threat of the expansion of the Tzxyzyl Hives. Beseeching him, and feigning a position of subservience to him, they would draw up a ceasefire. Since neither side would give up Mare Viridi, they would divide up the world. the Empire would get half, while the Bloodied Claw would control the other half. Fortifications meant to defend against one another would become borders, and they would construct walls to half up the population centres and territory between one another. They would at last pull the majority of their respective military forces away, maintaining small garrisons to watch one another and maintain order over their new settlements. While tensions would rise and fall over the years, Mare Viridi remained oddly calm, so far as diplomatic and trade relations being established between the Empire and Bloodied Claw colonies on the world. Strength to Strength The Bloodied Claw would grow in size and strength, expanding its growing operation of trading guns, products, drugs and slaves across a wide area, including local clans, Fell Justice and even Eayn, the Kig-Yar homeworld. This meteoric growth was only kept in check by clashes with local enemies, such as rival clans, the Tzxyzyl Hives or the continued threat of renewed war with the Empire of Kor. The size and scope of his operation would only increase, with the Claw establishing offices on Eayn and Fell Justice. They would establish trading pacts with a number of local powers, including the Volendruni, Blood Pack and numerous Kig-Yar clans. Their strength would grow, but it would soon come under the greatest tests yet. Betrayal The first in these series of tests would come from within. Externally, a coalition of pirate clans opposed to the Claw's violent and rapid expansion began to fund dissent within the clans own structure, bribing away captains and mercenaries. When they decided to break away, they struck from the inside, the dozen or so captains, along with the two mercenary armies suddenly and violently striking the Claw from within. Bombarding the capital, with the intent to cripple their infrastructure, they thought themselves safe from reprisal because of the distance of their reinforcements. Little did they know that Marquis Saa'Kral's Shadow Talon had returned to their installation at the edge of the system after weeks of gathering intelligence on their enemies. Summoned to battle, his fleet slipped into the centre of the rebels, suddenly and violently attacking their warships. Boarding them in close quarters, they massacred the crews in a fit of violence. Their ground force landed in the high district, intent on taking Jor Ruk's life. They grossly underestimated the man, who at first personally lead running ground battles, performing hit and run strikes on their foes, or ambushing them, causing severe casualties while taking little in return. When finally pinned in his palace, his fierce defence, teamed with the well designed fortifications of the Palace threw back waves of superior numbers, giving enough time for Saa'Kral to bring loyalists to the fight. Now surrounded, the rebels attempted to flee, exiting in their few remaining vessels to rally with their supporters in the Acorr system. At the Acorr system, their supporters were displeased with their inability to kill the prince, but knew he was weakened and planned to jump to Terateek, and glass the planet to be sure. At this point, Jor jumped into system in his flagship, and a numerically inferior fleet. Thinking their prey had happily come to them, they swarmed their target, only to find themselves quickly out manoeuvred. Using their own numbers against them, they deftly steamed throguh the centre of the formation, where the rebel's lines of fire crossed over one another. Electronic warfare from the Shadow Talon muddied their targeting, resulting in massive amounts of friendly fire. With Claw reinforcements piling in every minute. The situation became increasingly dangerous for the supporters, forcing their withdrawal, leaving the rebels to their fate. Captured by the Bloodied Claw, they were taken back to Terateek, tortured and executed, as a message to anybody who threatened them. The Claw wouldn't forget those who tried to ally against them either. They 'prompted' the rebels to reveal who funded their little insurrection, and proceeded to take measures to ensure their enemies would never bother them again. Campaigns of unremitting terror were unleashed on them, such as slave raids, piracy, orbital bombardment, blackmail, kidnapping, assassination, sabotage and bribery. These Clans were so overwhelmed by these campaigns that they paid reparations to the Claw. Despite this, the Claw had taken significant damage and lost a number of ships, as well as infrastructure on Terateek. This would not deter Jor Ruk from his new campaign. War For The Crown War of the Triumvirate Following the campaign for Pirate King, Jor Ruk took his raiders back to his own territory, to lick their wounds and rebuild their strength. This was the first real defeat they'd suffered as a force, and morale for the Claw was at a low. However, the bubbling tensions between their neighbours, the Empire of Koroku and the Tzxyzyl Hives had reached boiling point, and now threatened to consume the entire neutral territories. Their delicate ceasefire agreement with the Empire broke down, as Mare Viridi quickly grew into a powder keg. The Hives struck at the world of Dakkan, over running it with frightening ease and turning it into a hive. By the time reinforcements arrived under the command of Dak Mal, they'd entrenched so heavily that a ground invasion was ultimately impossible, and after suffering casualties, she withdrew, and elected to bombard the hives from orbit, if only to slow their advance down. This served to only damage the surface structures. Facing a war on two fronts against two very different enemies, Jor Ruk did what he did best and reverted to piracy. Striking at their supply lines and blockading their worlds, he hoped to strangle their supply lines, if only temporarily, allowing him enough time to build his numbers. Unfortunately, both sides were well prepared for this event and his raids only had limited success. With Mare Viridi turning into a quagmire of trench warfare, and a Hive invasion fleet rallying at Dakkan, things looked grim for the Claw. At this point, the Volendruni, former trading partners, stepped in. The Volendruni were interested in seeing the Claw expand, as their prosperity was good for the Volendruni, and the Hives and Koroku had affected some of their other allies. Unbeknownst to the Claw, though Jor suspected, the Volendrunus Clan had an ulterior motive. The Volendruni supplied them with arms, ships and warriors, giving them a substantial boost in numbers. When the invasion force hit Jarro, they were met by a combined Claw/Volendruni force that beat them back. At Mare Viridi, with the tanks of Volendruni shock troops, they finally broke through the Koroku lines, taking their head quarters. This respite allowed them the chance to regroup and regain their strength, but unfortunately, it allowed the powers supplying the Empire and the Tzxyzyl Hives to marshal their power. The Koroku, funded by the Blood Pack, would create a sphere of influence for them and their benefactor. The Hives were funded by the powerful merchant Tarn Y'Dao, who wished to create a trade area solely controlled by him and his associates. All factions were almost equal in strength, and the coming conflict would leave little standing. Dak Mal finally returned to Dakkan, taking back the world she failed to weeks prior. The ground campaign was long and bitter, and casualties were massive on both sides. Hives had to be cleared steadily and slowly and was extremely difficult. Dakkan was eventually returned to the control of the Claw, but their victory was short lived. A Koroku fleet lay siege to Acorr, while a second approached Tumon, forcing the Claw to return to a defensive posture, trying to defend their holdings against oncoming threats. Structure Jor Rak, as the self crowned Pirate Prince of the Bloodied Claw, rules undisputed. Given that he took the Bloodied Claw from a few desperate raiders to a prosperous empire, few try to usurp him. Beneath him are his Marquis, his closest lieutenants. They rule over small fiefdom themselves, usually colonies of the empire, and command forces loyal to Jor Rak, such as small fleets of raiders, or ground forces. The Bloodied Claw is divided into individual military units referred to as Talons, each controlled by a Marquis. These Talons are self contained and self sufficient fleets of pirates. Usually made up of mixtures of native Kig-Yar designs, such as Raider-class vessels, as well as Covenant vessels such as the SDV-class Corvette and the CCS-class Battlecruiser. While most of the crews are trained and equipped to fight as irregulars, they usually possess a small number of standing forces, for facing opposing soldiers. Such forces are equipped and arranged like Covenant-era lancers, usually in 'Jackal' and 'Skirmisher' style forces. Larger, more powerful Marquis, have standing army of slaves to back up their forces for raids. Beneath the Marquis are commanders, who command squadrons of vessels and soldiers. In turn, beneath him are captains, who either command a vessel, or a large grouping of warriors. They command Ultras, who themselves command several lances. Lances are usually haphazard, with little in terms of uniformity or organization, but usually consist of five or so Jackals, usually a Major and four Minors. The are usually arranged for a singular purpose, such as shield carrying infantry, scouts, skirmishers or snipers. They also have units utilising light vehicles, such as Ghosts, Spectres, Banshees and dropships. They sometimes utilise special units, such as teams of commandos or veterans. They are often armoured and equipped as they were during the war, with a variety of gear, and weapons, usually of better quality than that given to their lesser servants. Most Talons utilise slave-soldiers as expendable cannon fodder, and to fill the position of line infantry during more 'regular' military operations. Originally, the Bloodied Claw utilised a vast army of Unggoy slaves. Equipped with only a plasma pistol and a methane re-breather, they were usually organized in mobs, sent to swarm a foe. Following Jor Ruk's reorganization of their military, the Unggoy cannon fodder saw increases in training and equipment, if only a little, to bring them closer to the equipment level of other slave soldiers used by the Claw. More recently, they've utilised human slave-soldiers lead by members of the Bloodied Claw as something closer to a standing army, with better equipment and weapons than their Unggoy compatriots. These are usually present on larger vessels, such as SDV or CCS-class vessels, and utilised during military actions, such as the Bloodied Claw's ongoing war with the Empire or Koroku, but they have been deployed as part of larger slave raids. They're usually armed with rudimentary armour and light weaponry, though they often see heavy weapons as well. Culture The Bloodied Claw is less a family group, nation or military force, but closer in nature to a corporation. Ran is a business like fashion, the raiders of the clan are paid wages, but get bonuses based on performance, like how much loot they get, how many slaves they bring back, how many enemies the kill. Like any business, there is back stabbing and betrayal, and ranks and positions change on a regular basis, but the upper echelons usually remain somewhat static. Progression results in better pay and funding, but the average raider makes a decent wage. This is supported by their affiliates, related traders, shell companies, business partners, mercenary allies, as well as the families of the raiders. Most of those living on the worlds controlled by the Bloodied Claw are either members of their raider fleet, workers in their factories or factories, or are affiliates, those who trade for or with them. As such, service to the Bloodied Claw is central to their life. The average live in the unusual, ramshackle cities, marked by narrow streets and 'bolt on' housing, often resembling slums of other races, this is the way the Kig-Yar prefer to live, in close proximity to their family groups and others. These have running water and electricity, though these are not guarantees due to the ad-hoc nature of construction. These districts are often segregated from the slave districts, and sometimes from the districts for the rich and powerful. They often live in one of a kind homes, such as mansions, or towers. These are extravagant and exotic, and usually house the whole extended family. The wage for those in the Bloodied Claw is acceptable. They earn decent wages and those working directly for the Claw have health and life insurance policies, though conditions are strict for payouts. Most average members of the Claw cannot afford slaves (Despite the vast numbers owned by the Claw as a whole), and only officers and above can afford them. Learning is usually passed on through the household, and more often than not they are expected to learn practical skills 'on the job' such as engineering, maintenance, piloting and trade. Because all the manufacturing, resources extraction and trade are ran by representatives of the Claw, shell organizations or direct affiliates, money from their activities can be poured directly back into their forces, only increasing their strength. The quality of life for the members of the claw, and their affiliates, is pretty good. Their settlements are usually built with amenities and hospitals, but most of the infrastructure is devoted to trade. Rarely is the clan upset by internal strife, since the Prince's position is undisputed, and he personally appoints his Marquis. Their relation to alien races varies, but mostly sits at keeping them at arms length. They make fine trading partners, but the Claw have little patience for any ally that can threaten their position. They are especially dismissive of Unggoy, as they hold a low position in their slave ranks, and their war with the Empire of Koroku have made them like them even less. Civilians and out of uniform members of the Claw tend to dress in styles from Eayn, usually relatively normal clothes, similar to those on Earth. As expected, the richer, more powerful the Kig-Yar, the more expensive his clothes. Many style their spines or feathers, dying and slicking them in fashion statements. Equipment Warships *Raider-class Sloop: One of the smallest warships of the Bloodied Claw, but one of the most popular. A light vessel, it does not possess shields or heavy armour, but makes up for it by possessing startling agility, a reasonable armament and spacious cargo bay. Used to raid enemy vessels and colonies, it can board enemy vessels in the void with ease, and support raids on terrestrial targets with accurate gunfire and numerous shuttle bays. *Contrition-class Transport: An older vessel, the Bloodied Claw maintain several of these with a hodge-podge of upgrades and modifications to keep them space worthy. Most have been altered to function as troop transports, carrying soldiers, their weapons and vehicles during raids. Others have been modified to function as slave vessels, the spacious cargo bays turned into slave pens. *DAV-class Light Corvette: A rare corvette class, with the Bloodied Claw only owning only a handful, it was originally designed for reconnaissance, using active camouflage to evade detection. More often than not, it is used in a more aggressive manner by the Bloodied Claw, such as attacking enemy transports deep behind enemy lines, raiding otherwise well defended worlds or transporting illegal goods. *SDV-class Heavy Corvette: One of the more common vessels in the fleet, the ship, originally designed for occupation, is instead used for reinforcing raiding fleets. Using its launch bays and drop pods, it'll quickly take a settlement, or capture a ship, and store any loot in the cargo bay. These ships usually function with reduced numbers of crew, but the brigs are usually expanded. *CPV-class Heavy Destroyer: Possessing only a few examples, the CPV-class Heavy Destroyer is a vital warship for the Bloodied Claw's larger operation. Heavily armoured and well armed, it is designed specifically for high-speed orbital assault missions. Capable of cutting through defences with ease, it can disgorge large amounts of troops and vehicles. Rarely used for the everyday raiding mission, they are instead reserved for specialised missions against more entrenched foes. *CCS-class Battlecruiser: With a two dozen battlecruisers in their employ, this ship forms the backbone of their fleet. Usually the ship is used as a line vessel during large fleet engagements, but is quite capable of raiding a target that would require several Raider-class or SDV-class vessels. Its large cargo bays and brigs allow it to function efficiently as a slaver vessel. *RCS-class Armoured Cruiser: A rare type of vessel, the Bloodied Claw only possess three. Slow, lumbering and heavily armoured, these vessels can withstanding significant punishment and in return deal heavier damage out. Such vessels are used by Prince Jor Ruk's top lieutenants to enforce his will. *Reverence-class Command Cruiser: A large cruiser, only one is used by the Bloodied Claw. Jor Ruk's personal flagship, the Red Reaver, is used to prosecute operations directly under his supervision, or enforce his will. Dwarfing every ship in the fleet, it possesses advance communications equipment, substantial armament and room for a great number of fighters and dropships. Air and space craft *Type-26 Banshee Ground Support Aircraft: A standard in-atmosphere fighter, it is used to attack ground targets such as armour to exposed infantry, or intercept dropships. Agile and well armed, they are usually pilot by his raiders, but increasing numbers are being used by slave-soldiers. *Type-27 Banshee Exoatmospheric Multirole Fighter: One of the most common space interceptors, it is fast and lightly armoured, and usually used to swarm targets. Squadrons are piloted by slave-soldiers with the intention of supporting squadrons of Kig-Yar in Seraphs. Such fighters are horrendously out gunned by more modern fighters. *Type-31 Seraph Exoatmospheric Multirole Fighter: The most powerful fighter in the Bloodied Claw's arsenal, this fighter is fast and agile, and can be used to intercept other fighters, attack starships or bomb ground positions. Modern fighters such as the Sabre or Tengu far exceed it, but it still packs a punch. *Type-25 Spirit Troop Carrier: A common dropship used by the Bloodied Claw, it is slow but can carry both armour and infantry. *Type-44 Phantom Troop Carrier: The most common dropship variant used, this older model lacks some of the more advanced features of the Type-52, but is fast, well armed and carries enough troops and vehicles to overwhelm enemy positions, while supporting them with it main gun. It is commonly used to transport raiders to the ship or settlement they are attacking, and transport any loot or slaves they may capture, especially when using modified versions with onboard containment fields. *Type-52 Phantom Troop Carrier: Slightly rarer than its older brother, it has more advanced avionics and propulsion systems. They are preferred for use by the elite members of the Bloodied Claw for raids and battles. *Type-52 Phantom Gunboat: A variant used exclusively for deep-space attack or artillery support in atmosphere, it possesses both shielding and a large number of guns capable of laying waste to starships and ground positions. *Asura-class Shuttle: An old pattern of shuttle, it is used for quickly transporting small numbers of personnel, cargo or slaves, and can be seen accompanying small slaver groups. Vehicles *Type-26 Assault Gun Carriage: A common tank, its plasma mortar is can be used to knock down fortifications, drop plasma orbs onto defenders or destroy tanks. Usually used for intimidation more than actual combat, it also escorts light armour unto the field. *Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery: A deadly instrument, the Type-52 Wraith utilises a pair of triple barrelled fuel rod cannons to turn clears skies into fields of flak. Its use against infantry and structures is also equally terrifying. Type-29 Shadow Troop Transport: A fast transport, with only a single turret (Though more can be bolted on in an emergency), it can transport light armour or infantry. It is commonly used to transport supplies behind friendly lines, but can also be used to transport slaves and loot back to friendly positions. *Type-32 Ghost Rapid Assault Vehicle: A fast and lightly armoured vehicles, it is used to harass infantry and perform reconnaissance. More often than not, it is used by slave-soldiers to support the armour of the raiders. *Type-45 Spectre Infantry Support Vehicle: A light vehicle, it can rapidly transport small groups of infantry and provide covering fire. Ineffectual against armour, its rapid fire plasma gun is lethal against infantry. Armaments *Type-25 Carbine: The Spike rifle is a relatively common weapon in the Claw, imported from the neighbouring Jiralhanae allies. Sturdy and reliable, its used is large numbers with slave-soldiers when recruitment cannot keep up wit the supply of plasma weapons. It is manufactured without the twin bayonets and with a rudimentary stock, making it perfect for Human and Unggoy use. *Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle The Type-25 DER is commonly used by slave-soldiers, and in small numbers by the raiders themselves, mostly as a standard weapon. Manufactured locally, they possess inbuilt holographic sights. *Type-25B Directed Energy Rifle: The Type-25B DEW, more commonly known as the Jiralhanae Plasma Rifle, is a modified plasma rifle with a substantially higher rate of fire, allowing it to take down opponents much faster. However, it is also less accurate, more prone to being affected by recoil, burns through energy faster and overheats sooner. This is imported in small amounts for close quarters fighting. *Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol: The Plasma Pistol is used in massive amounts by the slave-soldiers of the clan, as well as by the raiders. Ubiquitous and surprisingly deadly despite its size, almost everyone uses it and some point during service. *Type-51 Directed Energy Rifle/Improved: The Plasma Repeater is used by senior raiders, and senior slave-soldiers, its accuracy, fire power and high rate of fire allowing them to be deadly at all ranges. *Type-51 Carbine: The Carbine is used by Kig-Yar marksmen, who are uncannily accurate with the rifle, utilising it in the style of terror warfare they've become accustomed too, ambushing and cutting down the enemy leadership. Occasionally, it works its way down to the lower ranks. *Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher: The Type-33 is used by both raiders and slave-soldiers as a more specialised weapon, capable of knocking down even heavy infantry with frightening ease. *Type-31 Rifle: Deadly accurate and lethal, this older rifle is still commonly used due to the accuracy, lethality and relatively plentiful munitions. It is employed in exactly the same manner as the Type-51 Carbine. *Type-50 Directed Energy Rifle/Heavy: A rare weapon, almost never used by the Kig-Yar themselves, it is given to the most senior slave-soldiers to fight heavy infantry and light vehicles, being ideal for urban warfare and close assault. *Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon: The Fuel Rod Gun is used by slave-soldier heavy weapon specialists, allowing the clan to take the fight to enemy armour. Accurate, with a high rate of fire and simplistic construction, it can easily flatten an armoured column. *Type-52 Automatic Plasma Cannon: The Plasma cannon is used by slave-soldier weapon teams to lay down hails of suppressing fire, or secure an area against attack, being a mighty weapon against infantry and light armour. *Type-27 Special Application Sniper Rifle: An older pattern of beam rifle, it is manufactured by them in small amounts. Issued to the most lethal and skilled snipers, its high stopping power allows them to eliminate targets with ease. More ergonomically friendly for Kig-Yar, it is preferred over the rare Type-50. *Type-52 Special Applications Rifle: Another rare sniper rifle, it is used in special circumstances. The focus rifle fires a beam of plasma, allowing it to melt through armour, making it ideal for anti-materiel work. *Type-57 Stasis Rifle: A rare and unusual weapon, it was originally used by judicial police on High Charity, it was also used in limited number by field operatives to capture individuals. Few examples escaped High Charity, and many of those made it into the hands of slavers. It produces a static stasis field, immobilising everything within it, to a certain mass. As such, it can be used to capture a whole group of individuals, rendering them helpless and for all intents and purposes captured. The only draw back is its high power consumption. *Energy cutlass: A close quarters weapon preferred by the raiders, it utilises similar materials to Neelder rounds. Used to stab and slash and close quarters, each penetrating blow leaving deadly shards capable of inflicting even more grevious wounds. As a last, deadly resort, it can be stabbed into a foe and released, the energy cutlass exploding violently. *Energy Garrotte: A rare weapon used by their most elite infiltrators, it uses a cord of plasma to burn through the throat of their enemies, killing them while also silencing them. Personal Equipment *'Jackal' Combat Harness: A lightweight harness, designed so as not to hinder movement, this has been used by light shield infantry and snipers for generations inside the Covenant. Reliable and somewhat tough, it is probably the most widespread armour type in use. *'Skirmisher' Combat Harness: A more well armoured and more modular armour, worn by the 'Skirmisher' forces. Their enhanced musculature allows them to leap, barrel and dive in this armour with ease, and its modularity allows it to be specced to a great number of purposes. *Unggoy Combat Harness: A stripped down variant of the more common Unggoy harness seen during the war, it utilises a methane tank carried on their back, a metallic harness and a nose fed breathing apparatus. Offering no genuine armour, it details the Unggoys exact position as cannon fodder, intended only to absorb gunfire ahead of the true advance. The gear is simplistic and easy to repair, allowing them to easily salvage it. *Human Combat Harness: Of no relation to the similar combat harnesses used by members of the High Promissory Military, this light weight armour is for use by their large number of slave-soldiers. Of sub-par quality next to their own armour, it nonetheless possesses protective features. Made with a light breastplate covering their upper torso, shoulder and necks, thigh plates, greaves and boots, it is usually worn in conjunction with a Kradat. Holdings The Bloodied Claw hold a number of planets, as well as other hldings on a number of other worlds. These are all optimised to producing a profit for the Claw. Terateek Terateek is the capital of the Bloodied Claw, and their fortress. A world made up of deserts, with thin band of tropical jungle and dispersed seas, the world is habitable, though the heat can get to its inhabitants. Built into the coastline is the capital, simply called Terat. A glittering silver jewel, it is built to emulate some of the great cities of Eayn, and features a number of walled off districts. The high district, built with a number of towers and backing onto hills that home the larger houses. This district belongs to the Prince, his Marquis and the powerful Captains, who run the Bloodied Claw and their industries. These towers double as something akin to corporate headquarters, keeping the Bloodied Claw running from day to day, in all aspects. Further down the hill is the middle district, where the majority of Kig-Yar live. While it isn't of amazing quality, these homes are functional and fitted with all the amenities they could need. It's known for thin winding streets and large market squares. Against the coast is the market district. The most heavily regulated, this features the factories and workshops of the Bloodied Claw. This backs onto the coast, which features a large cargo dock for transporting cargo by sea to the and from the smaller islands, as well as several chains of islands, connected by bridges, usually housing defensive structures. Also in this district is the orbital elevator, using anti-gravity technology to move payloads into orbit. The main draw for off worlders is the large slave market here, where hundreds of slaves are bought and sold daily. Connected directly to this district is the low district. This district features stacks of prefabricated housing (Usually the size of a container) used to house slaves. Walled off from the others, access is heavily regulated, and the slaves are denied basic amenities, such as electricity. Other features of the city include the large Gladiator Arena a short distance out, which can house 20,000 observes, and features VIP boxes and prisons under the main arena, as well as training grounds attached outside (Though most are trained off world or in the city). Also connected to the city is the Unggoy biosphere, and large dome featuring a methane-heavy biosphere for the Unggoy army used by the Bloodied Claw. Guarded fiercely by the Bloodied Claw, any sign of dissent is put down immediately. Lastly, the fort at the edge of the city, used for the training of their free and slave warriors. Teratek is possessed of substantial mineral wealth, most of which is comfortably close to the surface. Vast strip mines and a few deep mines are scattered through the desert, which connects back to the city through high speed ground links. Above the planet lies several geosynchronous stations, including the docking station for cargo vessels, and a separate refit station for military warships. The planet also has several automated defence stations to fend off attacks, and a fuel extraction station towards the outer reaches of the system. Tumon A cold and hostile world, it houses Covenant-era remote mining installations, plundering the planet for its natural mineral wealth. This made it of great interest to the Claw. Seizing it from the rag-tag slavers currently in ownership of it, they spent considerable funds to modernize it. Tumon now serves as a major supplier of natural ore used for the Claw's manufacturing, with ships and weapons. Jarro A small moon of a larger gas giant, Jarro is a warm and temperate world early in development, with limited life. An undiscovered world, the Claw established outposts to use it as a breadbasket, providing food for the Claw. It hosts vast farms run by slaves, fuelling the Claw and it's expansion. Acorr An important nexus world. Acorr features heavy defences in order to protect the Claw's interests there. A world of arid and rocky plains, Acorr is positioned at the far end of Claw territory, and is a connecting point for several major trade lanes coming through the Frontier territories. The Claw make use of this positioning to set up a trading hub, trading slaves and goods, while selling fuel and supplies. Dakkan At the far edge of the Claw's expansion, Dakkan is as lush tropical world. While of little interest to the Claw as a whole, they have established military outposts there to host ships travelling in and out of their territory, to supply them for slave raids. It also houses an important listening outpost Mare Viridi A world torn apart by war, it exists in tenuous peace between the Empire of Koroku and the Bloodied Claw. The Claw seized man of the population centres, while the Empire control many of the farm land. The Claw have fortified their holdings and built up large amounts of defences, with numerous guns staring across the vast DMZ. Slaves Since their inception, the Bloodied Claw have been involved in ever lucrative business they could, and the most lucrative of them all has been slavery. Detached from the central government of the Kig-Yar Union, they haven't been held by their laws, so have been free to slave as many as they want, for as long as they want. Often raiding worlds at will, with little to stop them, they have vast amounts of slaves. They also purchase slaves from their neighbours, or accept slaves as payment, for resources, materiel or services rendered. Aside from currency and trading item, slaves are used domestically as labourers, working in their factories and mines, or working in the offices that account for the clan. They are also used in the military force of the clan, providing something close to a standing army. Higher ranking members of the Bloodied Claw also own slaves who they use as servants, trophies, aides or concubines. Slaves, upon arrival to a sorting centre, whether from a the hold of a slave ship of from traders, are taken by the raiders to be sorted. Their belongings are taken from them and they are inspected to assess their health, strength and any uses they may have. From here, they're usually divided into those they want to sell on or keep as collateral, and those they want to put to work. Those kept as collateral or to be sold are kept in the pens attached to the slave market, while the rest are sorted. Fitted with electro-shock collars that can be used to issue debilitating electronic shocks, capable of knocking a slave off their feet, or knocking them out. Introduced quickly to their new work, they are usually issued limited clothing and given an assigned room in the salve district, though this is usually a cell shared with 3 other slaves. Those selected by the high ranking officers to serve them are usually housed by them. All slaves who pass through their ownership are heavily documented within the data archives of the Bloodied Claw. Slave conditions are harsh, but not lethal. Slaves are expected to work 15 hours a day under threat of a shock from their collar, or from lashes from their task master. Anybody that injures or kills a slave must pay for them out of their own pocket, usually preventing them from injuring them too severely. Skills are usually identified early on and are distributed to work areas that'd be most efficient. Slaves as old as 10 are expected to work, and any too debilitated or old are left in the pens so the other slaves have to care for them. Slaves are granted limited clothing based on station. Most are usually issued with a Kramat, a rectangular piece of cloth with a hole in the middle so it can be worn like a poncho, and secured by a piece of rope, or a belt. Usually made from rough cloth, more 'palatable' versions are used by slaves working in the high district, made from more refined materials, and even better quality ones are used by slaves in households. More often than not slaves working manual labour instead wear the Kradat, a breech clothing similarly secured by rope or a belt and made of the same rough material. This item is rarer in the high district that others. Slaves that are unruly or difficult, or are kept as trophies to be seen, rather than serve a practical purpose, are denied clothing. Slaves kept by the clan are mostly used to provide labour in the factories, piecing together components, weapons, vehicles. They also work in the extensive strip mines, operating the heavy machinery, tools or just plain old pick axes in an effort to fuel their factories with the needed material. Some work in the high district, in the offices of the clan, performing day to day administration, ensuring bureaucratic machine behind the Bloodied Claw continues to run smoothly. Others work as the household slaves or aides of the higher ranking officers of the Bloodied Claw, homed by them and working on keeping their homes clean, preparing their meals and attending to their day to day needs. They're also used as personal aides, organizing their owner's life. Lastly, some are used as trophies. Since slaves are equivalent to wealth, the most expensive slaves, either for their looks, rarity or ransom cost, are kept as trophies by the Captains that capture them. Slave-Soldiers make up the majority of the Claw's military force. While raiders are the elite, it is down to the Slave-Soldiers to perform more mundane tasks, such holding the line, advancing, providing logistical support and other things the raiders are far too impatient to do. Equipped lightly and trained to be loyal to their owners, slave-soldiers have become increasingly needed in the Bloodied Claw's operations. Originally limited to vast number of Unggoys bred to be cannon fodder, they have been augmented by better trained and equipped human slaves in recent years. The clan also possesses a number of Gladiators who fight in the arena for the clan's enjoyment and glory. Usually doubling as slave-soldiers, these individuals have more tailored equipment and are trained to fight as duellists. Notable Individuals Prince Jor Ruk, Pirate Prince of the Bloodied Claw: The undisputed leader of the Bloodied Claw, he has earned the title of Pirate Prince through duplicity, betray, manipulation and guile. Rising from an unknown past, his fierce intelligence and skill saw him rise to lieutenant under the previous leader of the Claw. When that leader was killed on a raid, Jor Ruk turned his fellow officers on one another, spreading lies, deceit, misinformation and discord. When they were all too weak to fight one another, he finished them off and ascended to the top of the Bloodied Claw. Driven, brilliant and near devoid of emotion, piracy, slaving and war is a business and he is a master at trading it. On the front, he is a skilled marksman and superb leader, being able to predict the ebb and flow of battle like few others, and see business opportunity here few others would. His acumen is only matched by his ferocity, and few that defy him survive. By the few allowed close to him, he is somewhat warm, if quirky individual. Marquis Dak Mal, First Marquis: Jor Ruk's second in command and right hand claw, Dak is one of the more deadly leaders in the Bloodied Claw. As a lieutenant, he took Dak under his wing, tutoring her on the finer arts of piracy. Dak repaid this by serving as his loyal officer, and she was rewarded by advancement within the Bloodied Claw. The most respected and powerful of the Marquis, her preferred tactics differ from her mentor, preferring more straight forward terror assaults, pioneering the use of Unggoy cannon fodder in the Claw. Dak her self is possessed of a fierce intelligence and uncompromising attitude, teamed with a dogged loyalty to Jor Ruk. Marquis Chal G'Tor: One of the first officers Jor Ruk uplifted, Chal G'Tor is his enforcer, a job he relishes. He wears a cape woven from the skinned hides of his enemies, usually those who have defied him, or have been marked for death by the Claw. A commander who's attacks are charted by sadistic and almost mindless violence, Chal is rarely deployed on slave raids and is instead sent by Jor to punish those who threaten him, or the Claw. He himself is noted for being sophisticated, even charming, but known for random and violent turns at a moments notice. Marquis Tal'R Kar: A cunning and skilled tactician, Tal'R has rightfully earned his place among the Marquis by leading a number of well planned campaigns against their enemies. It was Tal'R that first suggested using human slaves to bolster the numbers of their military, and it was Tal'R that first lead them in combat. His piracy campaigns are equally methodical, viewing his targets as renewable resources, taking as much as he can without destroying the economies of his targets. Marquis Faal C'Mat: The main force behind the Claw's economic power, Faal directly manages over the businesses of the Claw. A shrewd business man, and skilled diplomat, he's organized many trade pacts with other factions, and directly manages their import and export of slaves. He built much of the trade and bureaucratic infrastructure of the clan. Marquis Tah: Tah's simple name belies the fact he's a savvy pirate and skilled raider. Reaching the rank of Marquis by sheer volume of plunder he brought in. He brought more salvage, loot and slaves than any other captain of the same rank by training and drilling his crew, their discipline and accuracy allowing them to disable ships or pinpoint bombard defences without collateral. Marquis Qir Nak Tur: Almost universally loathed and detested, he's strong armed his way to the rank of Marquis by using connections on Eayn to pay his way up the ranks. Most of the other Marquis do not look upon him favourably, though Jor Ruk tolerates his existence. Using his money connections, his built a surprising collection of well furnished ships, and his money has been used to prop up the Claw. Qir himself is a playboy with little interests in the day to day running of the Claw, and instead prefers to gallivant as a pirate. The truth is, Jor has only allowed him to reach this rank so he can use his connections to strengthen his own, while swindling him. Marquis Saa'Kral, Shadow Marquis: Referred to as the 'Shadow Marquis' Saa'Kral is known to be blatantly absent from almost every meeting of the Marquis, and few even know much of him. Only Jor Ruk and Dak Mal know the truth, which is that Saa'Kral is Dak's clutchmate, and leads a small flotilla of warships, devoid of markings. Similarly, the handful of raiders and slaves under his command do not carry markings. Saa'Kral was originally the captain Sarl Mal. During a botched raid, he used his warship to shield the ship of his sister, in the process being near out-right killed. Brought back with substantial cybernetic surgery, he was told by Jor Ruk, his original identity was declared dead and he would instead serve Jor Ruk in another role. Saa'Kral and his officers represents the intelligence agency of the Claw. Reporting directly to Dak Mal and Jor Ruk, he gathers intelligence on their enemies and their allies, as well as individuals within the Claw. He also organizes clandestine strikes and operations. Saa'Kral himself is quiet individual, but possessed of substantial strength, through his T'vaon heritage and cybernetic implants. When he chooses to speak, he is quick and concise, his cybernetic voice box giving him an otherworldly and disturbing sound. Da'Tro, Free Captain: A wily and skilled Captain, he's one of the most well regarded strategists outside of the Marquis, he's known for his excellent skill at the helm, preferring to personally steer his ship in battle. A true pirate and possessed for an insatiable lust for money, his raids are marked by their finesse and flair. While regarded as a maverick by most, Jor Ruk recognises him as a skilled asset. Da'Tro himself is a little eccentric and unusual, but is surprisingly courteous to his defeated enemies. Arn, Prince Guard: A monumentally sized T'vaon, he serves as the bodyguard for Prince Jor Ruk. Always within 20 paces of the Prince, with his unit of guards within 49, it is his duty to watch over the Prince. A strong and savage fighter, he isn't startlingly intelligent, but is possessed of a low cunning and a desire to protect Jor. Few know the reason Arn serves as his bodyguard, as it is a fiercely protected secret. Zhur, Claw Trader: A close affiliate of the Bloodied Claw, he runs much of their slave trading business. While technically not a member of the Claw, he is on their payroll, and his trade vessels are protected by them. While on first appearances he may appear jovial and friendly, he's cold and calculating, and views slaves as objects to be bought and sold, rather than people. He operates their significant slave markets, and trades across the Frontier and beyond, using his network of contacts. Artha, Claw Captain: One of the lead Captains in Jor Ruk's flotilla, Artha on the surface is loyal and obedient to every word, though the reality is he's a craven coward and irredeemable sycophant, harbouring desires to ascend in the ranks. Preferring to battle from behind the lines, more than once he's suddenly and inexplicable retreated, despite still holding an advantage. He's one mistake from finding Chal G'Tor knocking at his door. Chut Var, Claw Administrator: Chut is the Ibie'shan aide-de-camp of Jor Ruk, and a vital component of the administration of the Bloodied Claw. Organizing the internal structure, he oversees the bureaucratic side of the Claw, and the administration, as well as arranging meetings with diplomats, traders, meetings between the marquis and the prince. Chut possesses startling loyalty To Jor Ruk, but is otherwise quiet and unassuming, a fact many have underestimated, as he is a skilled pirate in his own right. Nara Naraak, Shadow Captain: Saa'Kraal's top Shadow Captain, Nara is a specialist in counterintelligence and unconventional warfare. Known for running rings around enemy forces and spreading confusion and discord, he has earned substantial bounties from the enemies of the Claw. Nara takes pleasure in knowing the chaos he spreads continually infuriates his foes. Nara himself has a dark sense of humour. Arkul, Claw Commander: One of the finest field officers in the Claw, he was originally the commander of a group of raiders, but his skill at arms and excellent leadership saw him tasked with leading squads of slave-soldiers in battle. Initially repulsed by this, he soon adapted, finding glory in leading them in battle. Wily and fierce, he pushes those under his command to their edge, and expects the best, but rewards those who perform well. Tam'adu, Claw Raider: A career raider, Tam'adu has made a name for himself in a dozen different raids, for his flair and skill. A excellent marksman, his trademark is moving from high point to high point, firing off a handful of snapshots then moving on. Bold and boisterous, his fellow raiders tend to keep their distance to avoid his bragging. Vash'anon, Claw Trader: The best trader inside the Claw, Vash'anon is a specialist in dealing in slaves. Possessed of little interest in sentient rights, he instead just sees them as merchandise to buy and sell. The Claw's business has made him extremely rich, and he owns a portion of the Claw's industry, taking slaves from his own markets at cheap prices to use as labour. Tak Vo'traak, Claw Assassin: Tak appears to be the affluent, playboy brother-in-law of Marquis Tal'R Kar, with little care for the worries of the Claw. In actuality, he is the 'cleaner', the most deadly assassin at the disposal of the Claw. Skilled in all means of assassination, including poison, explosives, sniping and even getting in close with a hidden knife, the reason he's so highly regarded is his cleanliness. He can often clean up after himself to remove any evidence that an assassination even occurred, making it appear as an accident, suicide, or even making it appear like the victim was never even there at all. Often he works directly under Jor Ruk or Saa'Kral, he is also known to work under Chal G'Tor as the enforcer of Jor's will, or to clean up after Chal's excesses. Gorramus, Mercenary Chieftain: Gorramus is a Chieftain of the Kararul Clan, a small clan of Jiralhanae that sell their services to the Bloodied Claw. Small and relatively weak in terms of warships, they instead sell their services as elite shock troops, packing up lances of slave-soldiers and raiders. During raids they are usually assigned a portion of the loot, but are also paid in money and slaves. Gorramus himself is a brutish individual, not above coarse behaviour and unbecoming conduct, and the sight of his warriors backing up the Kig-Yar often makes many enemies surrender or retreat. Gorramus and his clan have their own, smaller settlement positioned just up the coast from the capital on Terateek so the Claw at large don't have to put up with them. Thran 'Nodam, Kar D'toa Trainer: Hired on as a mercenary to train the Claw's Slave-Soldiers, Thran is the leader of the Kar D'toa, the group of mercenaries who remained to train them in the long term. A grizzled vetern of the great war, he leads somewhere in the region of one hundred mercs, recruited from the Sangheili, Jiralhanae and Kig-Yar, and his will binds this diverse group together. Paid a small fortune for his services, he's personally overseen every batch of new recruits. Possessed of little love for humans, he sees them as no different from the Unggoy in intelligence or skill, but he trains them, as he paid. Prideful and hard going, he's not above working a recruit into the ground in order to break then reshape them. Tama 'Vadam, Slave Soldier: A Republic warrior captured in battle, Tama was immediately head hunted for an arena role. At first unwilling, successive conditioning turned him into a fierce gladiator, who earned the Claw infamy in the arena. Violent and head strong in the arena, outside of it he is quiet and soft spoken, but shows the younger gladiators the ropes. Kaeli, Trophy Slave: Kaeli is Jor Ruk's trophy slave, a living symbol of his power. When many of his captains were incited to rebel against him, he crushed the rebellion with ease and discovered those who backed these fools. Once of the backers was the Hunter's Fang Pirate Clan. In the campaign of terror attacks he brought down upon them, one of them brought him a fine prize, Kaeli, the daughter of the prince who ruled the Hunter's Fang. An alluring beauty, she was taken by Jor Ruk as a hostage, to ensure her father never attempted to attack them again. Kaeli serves as Jor Ruk's trophy, pet and concubine, serving as a mother for his young, a warning to his enemies, and as his means of entertainment. Kaeli herself has resigned herself to this lifestyle. Once a woman of class and standing, she is now stripped of her belongings and permanently collared. However, in a way, she was grown to love Jor Ruk, as he has her. Tur, Gladiator Slave: Tur, an exceptionally large and strong Unggoy, serves as one of the Claw's many gladiators. A hulking creature who uses strength to beat his opponents, Tur is known to be savage and unrelenting, even biting his opponents in fits of rage. Kept restrained between battles, he wields a mace in battle. Yakkap, Slave Solder: Most Unggoy slave-soldiers are considered expendable cannon fodder, but not Yakkap. Yakkap has survived dozens of encounters where his brethren have otherwise died in their droves. Scarred and grizzled, Yakkap is cunning and skilled, and not possessed of the suicidal rushing tendencies instilled in others in their training. He instead forms the 'rear line', made of toguher, more experienced and slightly better equipped Unggoy, to make good on the gains made by their more inexperienced comrades. Raapat, Slave: Raapat was a former citizen of the Empire of Koroku and in a somewhat influential position. A staunch abolitionist, he attempted to alleviate the suffering of the slaves kept by the Empire. Though a minority, he was beginning to gain ground, until he was snatched in a Claw slave raid, and experienced the misery of slaves first hand. Knowing he was smart and well educated, he was kept separate. Bought by Faal C'Mat, he works as his servant, helping him run the business of the clan. Detesting his role in the slave tried, Raapat none the less works to try and alleviate their suffering in any small way he can. Lydia Mitchell, Slave Solder: Snatched in a routine slave raid, Lydia was considered by her friends to be a demure and shy young woman. During the interrogation by her captors, when asked on military experience she said that she'd never held a gun in her life. This was misinterpreted by the translator as 'I have carried a gun all my life". As such, she was sent to military training. Broken down and remoulded by the extreme training regimen, the woman that emerged afterwards was very different. Strong, fierce and loyal, she became one of the most skilled slave-soldiers in the Claw. Personally taken by Dak Mal, Lydia serves as bodyguard and lieutenant, commanding slave-warriors in battle. Dark Mal has risen her up through the ranks and tutored her on war, and considers her one of her most skilled and loyal soldiers. Lydia is no-nonsense and focused, and often looks down with disdain on 'lesser' slaves. Jacek Piatek, Trophy Slave: Once the son of the leader of a powerful criminal syndicate in the neutral territories, When an attempted deal between this syndicate and the Claw went sour, Jacek was caught in the ensuing firefight. Dragged back with the Claw, Dark Mal made an example of him, and made him her trophy slave, to be placed on display as a symbol of her power, a threat to her enemies and as a ransom to his father. Adapting poorly, he is wilful and resilient, forcing frequent punishments from his master. Lydia Mitchell loathes him, both jealous of his position, and scornful of his disobedience. Torger Anthonsen, Slave Aide: Torger is Tal'R's assistant and assigned the grim task of monitoring, collating and quantifying the results of Tal'R's slave raids. To this end, he monitors and measures the amount of slaves taken in every raid, to collate the amount taken and the amount left, compared to previous raids, so they can come back when the population of a colony has grown again. A quiet individual, the nature of his work has made him withdrawn. Ivette Dominguez Slave Entertainer: Bought from slavers snatching people off the streets of Fell Justice, Ivette's physical appearance and good physical condition saw her picked out by Faal to serve him. Trained in several forms of traditional Kig-Yar dance, and dressed alluringly in barely-there threads, she dances to entertain dignitaries and trade partners during their meetings with Faal. Despite many offers to purchase her, Faal has declined them all, and treats Ivette as his prized slave. Seong Yi, Slave Agent: Originally an electronics specialist for a corporation out in the neutral territories, when a job went bad, she ended up in the hold of a slave ship. Quickly recognising her skills with computers, she was purchased by Nara Naraak to become his top cyber warfare operative, assaulting the enemy's computer systems remotely, gathering intelligence, and removing their ability to communicate and coordinate. Yi has little care for much outside of her personal computer systems, which she constantly tinkers with to improve performance. Njord Norup, Gladiator Slave: A huge man, his obvious strength saw him selected to be a gladiator. Fitted with cybernetic modifications to turn him into a raging berserker in the ring, Njord earned a dark reputation for his savagery in and out of the arena. Few like to socialise with him, much less approach him. Tabitha Milton, Slave Assistant: Selected to be Tah's aide, she works on the books, recording plunder, profits and expenses. She has recently migrated to his planning staff, helping him to plan raids on colonies, and is surprisingly skilled in this department, though some of Tah's captains are perturbed by her willingness to help enslave her fellow man.